The Ease of Decision Making: Enslavement

Life is full of gray areas—the daily matters, issues, and choices that aren’t inherently good or bad, and to which Scripture doesn’t specifically speak. How believers navigate those areas has a major influence on their spiritual growth, their testimony, and their usefulness to the Lord.

To help you develop biblical criteria for the gray-area decisions you face, we’ve been looking at some key instructions and exhortations from the apostle Paul. In 1 Corinthians, Paul told his readers, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Again, the apostle underscored the fact that he wanted to do only those things that are spiritually profitable. Part of that entails avoiding those activities that might result in personal enslavement. Paul knew that his only Master was Jesus Christ, and he would not allow himself to be mastered by anyone or anything else.

The immediate context in this portion of 1 Corinthians 6 is sexual sin, which is uniquely enslaving. However, the principle extends beyond sensuality to any habit or behavior that might become life dominating or Spirit quenching. In Ephesians 5:18, Paul commanded, “Do not get drunk with wine . . . but be filled with the Spirit.” Though the context there is different, the idea is similar to what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 12: Don’t allow yourself to become addicted or enslaved to that which is sinful or potentially destructive.

When faced with a gray-area decision, one of the questions we must train ourselves to ask is, Will this activity bring me into bondage? Will it develop such an appetite in me that it forms a pattern of behavior I cannot control?

It’s ironic that man—the pinnacle of God’s creation—can so easily be enslaved by such simple things as computers, televisions, sports, games, hobbies, and even food and drink. And yet, we don’t seem to care—or even notice—that these insignificant things can so often and so easily gain complete mastery over our lives.

Smoking is a good example. From an objective perspective, what sense does it make to shove dry leaves into your mouth and light them on fire? What possible benefit could you derive from that? And yet countless people are enslaved to their smoking habits—it’s an addiction that effectively runs their lives.

And while you and I might disassociate ourselves from the stigma of certain well-known addictions, the truth is we are equally susceptible to becoming just as thoroughly addicted to anything in our lives. Some people are addicted to entertainment, whether it is movies, music, or sports. Others are addicted to clothes and shopping—they’re habitual consumers. Still others are addicted to a specific hobby or recreation, with all their time and resources going to fulfill and expand their ability to enjoy that activity.

Paul wasn’t merely warning his readers about immoral addictions. He wanted them to be on guard against anything that could take control or focus away from the Lord. And specifically, he is warning us against the kinds of activities that can become controlling desires that dictate and direct the rest of our lives.

And Paul was well aware that we are creatures designed for habits. Before we were saved, we were habitual sinners. And after salvation, we have to work hard to break those old, sinful habits and cultivate new, righteous ones in their place. In fact, in Ephesians 2:10, Paul says we’ve been saved for the purpose of good works. Through God’s transforming work, we’ve been set aside for the purpose of righteousness. And as long as He allows, we need to put our maximum effort into building habits that fulfill and accomplish His righteous ends.

That also means we must guard against the kinds of activities that, even if they themselves are not sinful, could lead to a sinful preoccupation with them.

Personally, that means that while I might be free in Christ to do something, I’ll nonetheless avoid it to confirm I am still in control of my desires (1 Corinthians 9:27). It’s not that the activity is wrong—it’s that I want to make sure I’m still able to turn it down. It might even be something as simple as a steak or a hot fudge sundae. Regardless of what it is, I don’t ever want to allow myself to get into a pattern of not being able to say no to it. Not being in control of your body and mind—even in the most seemingly insignificant areas—always spills over into your spiritual life.

When it comes to life’s gray areas, it’s important to evaluate the long-term effects of the decisions you make, and how even the smallest, most unimportant things can exert control over you. If what you are considering can be sinfully habit forming, why pursue it? Don’t allow yourself to fall into bondage to anyone or anything. You are a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone.

How true these words are! Our propensity to become enslaved is indicative in so many areas of our lives, that one need only look at the patterns of addiction all around us everyday to understand how susceptible we truly can be. The point being stressed about Paul's exhortation to avoid anything that takes control or focus away from God is spot-on.

I believe that one of the biggest obstacles that we face in today's world, for it has been one of my own issues, is a lack of self-discipline. "Continuous partial attention" is a term that has been coined in the area of education to describe the phenomenon of students being able to listen to their iPods, text their friends, and watch the television, all while doing their homework at the same time. And this phenomenon is not relegated to only students; it is present in the lives of most adults who lack an understanding of what it means to develop discipline - of which I have struggled with also.

Praise God that He illuminates our hearts, not just so we can believe in His Son for the forgiveness of our sins, but also to grow us to become more like Jesus when we surrender our lives to His Lordship.

Thank you so much for this Pastor MacArthur. I'm going to purchase "Right Thinking in a World Gone Wrong" today.

I'm grateful that you mention here some of the socially "acceptable" sins most of us look the other way on: obesity, too much entertainment, hobbies, etc. All things that are not in themselves sinful, but can cause us TO sin.

Many years ago I had to stop DVRing cop shows. I loved them! It fed my need to see justice in this world. But when I found myself, for a week, night after night, staying up late to watch every show that was recorded (I could watch 4 in a row, after all, why not, I could fast forward through all the commercials, therefore saving time, right?...wrong).

So I stopped taping the shows and only began watching them if I was presently available when one aired live. Due to this, I only watch a cop show about once a week or once a month depending on what errand I am on for the Lord. :o)

Really, I just don't watch very much TV anymore and spend more time in prayer, Bible study and using my gifts as a teacher and exhorter to build up the body of Christ which has brought me greater joy and satisfaction than I could ever have imagined!

maybe in our 'freedom' we don't sin but we may more often choose to comfort,strengthen,amuse,content and pacify ouselves by being pleasure seekers rather than seeking God at any given moment.I really appreciated your teaching on this subject.

In the "microwave society" in which we live, where instant gratification seems only a mouse click away at almost any given moment (Yes, I stand readily accused, blogging at 1am...) it is truly frightening, the speed at which we become entangled with the simplest of things. I greatly appreciate Will T"s comment about self-discipline, as this is an area I too struggle with as do, I believe, many of God's children. To be, as Paul puts it, truly content no matter the circumstances is at the very core of this matter. Instead of constantly seeking the next big thing, to genuinely 'seek first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness'. This is more difficult than ever with the media saturation all around us, and all the more reason to be increasingly grateful for ministries like gty, and VCY America, as inlets to doctrinally sound teaching, and outlets for our hearts to fellow believers. And yet even these, if they take us away from time in God's word, or time building our families (both physical and spiritual) upon the firm foundation of Christ alone, might become sin for us. When we recognize that true contentment only comes from Jesus Christ in our heart, ruling and abiding, this begins to build that discipline in us as we have less desire for anything but Him! Then, the submission that is obedience to Him is absolute joy! Still difficult at times, as our sin-filled flesh is still a part of us, but by His grace and strength, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to fight unholy impulse.